Back support

ABSTRACT

A back support is described which will be effective in militating any relative upward movement of the support and an associated vertically extending seat back of an associated vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application60/569,680, filed May 10, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to back supports and more particularly toa support for the operator of a motor vehicle to provide support to thelower back region of the operator to maintain the operator's back in acorrect aligned position to thereby militate against curvature of thelower lumbar region.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Modern car and truck designs have developed substantially over therecent past resulting in improved styling, fuel economy, and comfortamongst other features. However, it is the considered opinion of manythat the design of the modern vehicle seats might well play a major rolein the causation of some of the major back injuries that plague thedrivers of American vehicles. While a vehicle is in motion, the body issubjected to different forces caused by various factors such asacceleration and deceleration, lateral swaying from side to side, andvibrations causing up and down motion of the whole body of the operator.During driving, the operator's feet are necessarily active, operatingbrakes, clutch, and accelerator. And the active feet of the operator arenot able to be used to support or stabilize the lower body as normallyoccurs when the feet are placed on the floor during normal sitting.

Studies have shown that the vibrations caused by a moving vehicle on thedriver of the vehicle can lead to high spinal loadings in the lower backand can result in greater postural discomfort and increased risk oflower back pain and injury.

Also, it has been found that the sitting position greatly increasespressure on the lower back and enormously increases the loading of thelower spine. Scientific data shows that 40% more weight is imposed onthe spine when a person is in a sitting position as opposed to standing.This is due to the fact that sitting increases the load on the lowerspine and causes the upper body portion to shift forwardly. Suchmovement tends to exert additional tension on the muscles thusincreasing the amount of tension on the postural muscles increasing theamount of overall tension.

The prior art has developed seat cushions and seat designs to overcomethe above problems. The developments have met with varying success indecreasing fatigue of the operator and increase comfort during driving.

It is a major objective of the present invention to produce a backsupport device which may be worn by the operator of a motor vehicle tomaintain the spinal column in the region of the lower lumbar andmilitate against a curvature of the upper body of the user.

Another object of the invention is to produce a back support devicewhich will stabilize the spinal column of the user and simultaneouslyminimize the downward vertical movement of the user relative to anassociated support platform.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above as well as other objects and advantages of the invention maytypically be achieved by a back support comprising: a body supportmember firmly encircling the body covering a zone including the lumbarregion; and means for selectively affixing the support member to avertically extending surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readilyapparent to those skilled in the art from reading the following detaileddescription of an embodiment of the invention when considered in thelight of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one side of a back support for providingvertical support for the operator of a motor vehicle incorporating thefeatures of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the opposite side of the back supportillustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the invention disclosed inFIGS. 1 and 2 showing the positioning of the support on the body of auser; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the invention similar to FIG. 3showing the support in operative sitting position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a body support, generallyindicated by reference numeral 10, incorporating the features of theinvention. The back support 10 includes a main body portion 12 which isformed of a flexible fabric material in the shape of an elongate stripof sufficient length to slightly more than surround the girth of a user.It is believed to be important that the rear portion of the body portion12 is positioned to substantially cover the lumbar region of the userduring periods of use.

The opposing ends of the body portion 12 contain cooperating fasteningmeans to enable the support to be snuggly fitted to the body of theparticular user. In the preferred embodiment, one end of the bodyportion 12 is provided with a series of three spaced apart hook strips14, while the opposing end and the opposite surface is provided with apair of loop strips 16 (illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 1)containing a matrix of loops adapted to couple with the cooperatinghooks of the strips 14.

A pair of spaced apart elongate straps 18 and 18′ of a suitable flexiblefabric material, for example, have one of the respective ends thereofstitched or otherwise suitably secured to the central portion of themain body portion 12 (as illustrated in dotted lines in FIG. 1). Thesurfaces of the straps 18 and 18′ facing away from the surface of themain body portion 12 are provided with loop material 20 and 20′,respectively, which typically extend from proximal ends of the straps 18and 18′ and terminate a spaced distance from the distal ends. At the fardistal ends of the straps 18 and 18′, there are disposed short sectionsof hooks 22 and 22′, respectively, for receiving grasping rings or thelike.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the hook and loop sections of thestraps 18 and 18′ cooperate to hold rings 24 and 24′, respectively, tofacilitate the installation of the straps 18 and 18′.

It will be understood that the reference to hook and loop material iscommercially a variable and sold under the trademark VELCRO.

In use, the back support 10 is assembled on the user as illustrated inFIG. 3. The straps 18 and 18′ are then placed over the back of adriver's seat 26 of a motor vehicle, causing the main body 12 of theback support 10 to be positioned at a predetermined elevation above theseat of the driver's seat 26. The adjustment is accomplished by thecooperation between the loop material 20 and 20′ of the straps 18 and18′, respectively, and the fabric covering of the seat 26. The rings 24and 24′ may be used to facilitate the placement of the straps 18 and18′.

When the straps 18 and 18′ are properly positioned and the user isseated, the upper body of the user will move in unison with the upwardmovement of the seat 26. It will be understood that the seat 26 is thedriver's seat for a vehicle such as a truck, bus, police car, passengercar, or the like. However, when the vehicle is caused to rapidlydescend, as caused by a pothole, for example, the body support 10resists the movement of the user in a downward direction. This willgreatly assist in providing comfort to the user and resist the creationof injury and resultant discomfort which might otherwise be causingcompressed vertebrae, for example.

It will be understood that other fastening means may be used in lieu ofthe hook and loop fasteners. Such alternatives include: snaps,adhesives, stitching, and means for selectively holding two surfacestogether. Also, ring structures such as D-rings may be utilized tosatisfactorily secure the associated strap means.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the presentinvention has been described in what is considered to represent itspreferred embodiment. However, it should be understood that theinvention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustratedand described without departing from its spirit or scope.

1. A back support comprising: a member adapted to firmly encircle the body of a user covering the zone including the lumbar region; and means for selectively affixing said member to a vertically extending surface.
 2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said means for selectively affixing includes means for militating against any relative upward movement of said member and the vertically extending surface.
 3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein said means for militating against any relative upward movement includes a strap extending from said support member.
 4. A back support comprising: a support member adapted to encircle the body of a user covering at least the zone of the body of the user including the lumbar region; and elongate strap means extending from said support member; said strap means including means for selective attachment to the back support of a vehicle to militate against any relative vertical upward movement of said support member and the back support of the vehicle. 